In an effort to counter the anti-incumbency factor,UP Chief Minister and BSP president Mayawati has denied more than 110 of her sitting MLAs,including several ministers,tickets for the Assembly elections next month.

Releasing the list of 403 candidates on her 56th birthday at the party headquarters here on Sunday,Mayawati said she had tried to cleanse the party of undesirable elements who had entered the BSP in 2007.

They tried to damage the image of the party and the government. They had even influenced the partys old cadre. For this reason,stern action was taken against several ministers and MLAs and they have been denied party ticket too, she told reporters.

Mayawati said that the candidates clean image,dedication to the BSP movement and loyalty to voters were kept in mind in the distribution of tickets.

Referring to the recent induction of dropped BSP MLAs and ministers,Mayawati said it was good to see that they had ultimately reached their right and original places.

The list has names of former ministers Rangnath Mishra and Rajesh Tripathi,both of whom were indicted by the Lokayukta for misuse of authority.

The largest chunk of 113 candidates in the list are OBCs,88 Scheduled Castes,85 religious minorities,particularly Muslims,74 Brahmins and 33 Thakurs.

Unlike the 2007 Assembly elections,the BSP has chosen more Muslims this time than Brahmins,apparently in an effort to prevent the Congress from winning over the Muslims.

The party had selected 61 Muslims in 2007,of whom 32 had won. It had given ticket to 86 Brahmins,of whom 41 had won. The number of OBC remains almost the same, a party leader said.

Mayawati appealed to the people and BSP workers to ensure the victory of the party and help it form the next government in the state as their birthday gift to her.

Mayawati also released the seventh volume of her autobiography A travelogue of my struggle-ridden life and BSP movement and a CD of the partys theme song.